Based on his performance as a sophomore, Jared Crick heads into his junior season at Nebraska as everybody's All-American at defensive tackle. Preseason watch lists? Check. Magazine covers? Check. Mock draft lists? Check. Seems that everyone enjoys reading about the 6-foot-6, 285-pounder — except Crick himself. He seems oblivious to it all.
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Q: You said last year you were surprised to even make the All-Big 12 team. How has it felt to see your picture on the front of all the college football preview magazines this summer?
A: Honestly, I haven't even seen any of these magazines. I guess it's cool. I'll have to see what they're like, but I haven't seen any of them.
Q: Did you hear that the Sporting News preview magazine put you at the top of its list of the 25 best players in the nation?
A: Really?
Q: Yeah, and you're listed as a Heisman candidate, too.
A: Ha, wow. That's kind of cool, but if I don't go out and play great this year, that was all for nothing. I've just got to go out and prove my worth every single day. People can say what they want about me, but at the end of the day if I don't put my work in and get better, it's all for nothing.
Q: So you haven't spent much time sitting around reading about yourself in the magazines and papers?
A: Nah, I'm not that kind of guy.
Q: Have you gotten into the team mustache craze yet?
A: I can't really grow a mustache. (Defensive end) Cam (Meredith), he's got the '70s look going. That's just Cam being Cam. He's a crazy California kid like that. He doesn't care what anybody says about him. The mustaches are mostly a linebacker thing, but we might come up with something come game week.
— Max Olson
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